When hip hop artist Jimblah hit the scene in 2012, he was little prepared for the intensity that goes hand in hand with success in the music industry.
With the release of his debut album, Face the Fire, he began a hectic schedule of touring, performing and recording more material. He has described that period in his life as "zero to 100 the whole time".
A Larrakia man, he says the reality of being a Blak man in music was tough.
"The music industry is just this crazy entity, you know," he told NITV News.
"That stuff that can be so volatile and harmful, and have all these complex issues that are going on. And then you look at our community, the Blak community, same again. So when those two worlds intersect, they compound on each other.
"It's just a recipe for disaster."
It's why he's endeavouring to create something new, a safe space for Blak musicians to express themselves honestly and fully; a Blak Empire.
In a new documentary, 'Curious Australia', to be screened on NITV and SBS, Jimblah explores the triumphs and pitfalls of navigating the music industry, and his attempt to make the path of young artists easier.
As for him, his road has been rocky.
Jimblah's trajectory was clear: he had won the Hilltop Hoods Initiative in 2007, nabbed Triple J’s Unearthed Artist of the Week and was one of Rolling Stone’s 'Top 20 Acts to Watch' for 2013. Success was his for the taking.
But after the release of his second album, and with a third in the wings, Jimblah (born James Alberts) stepped back from the industry he had toiled for years to break in to.
A community worker from way back, he focused on that aspect of his life.
Industry changes 'surface level'
In the meantime, the last decade has seen an explosion in the mainstream success of First Nations musicians, especially in the world of rap and hip hop.
Baker Boy, Barkaa, A.B. Original, JK47, Birdz... the list of Blak artists getting recognition around the country goes on. Meanwhile, one of the world's biggest musical stars is The Kid LAROI, proudly representing his heritage on the world stage.
But Jimblah says dangers still remain for Blak musicians: despite assertions to the contrary, the industry is full of pitfalls.
"When I came back... everyone was like, 'We've changed so much.' But I thought 'There's a whole lot of problems through here, and then I realized it was the same stuff.
"We're seeing things getting worse in some contexts... where it seems like there's this drastic shift happening. But that can be an indicative of people only addressing stuff on a surface level."
In some ways, Blak artists, forced to mould their practice to the financially-driven demands of the industry, have become the victims of their own success. By pandering to the broadest audience possible, some of the more truthful and hard-hitting messages are left by the wayside.
After a sabbatical away from the industry, Jimblah was disappointed to find little had changed. Source: Supplied
"I think we need to recognize that when things become industrialized, there can be a lot of compromise," said Jimblah.
"The industry decides, 'We'll just package more of this up, and give give you more of that. But then there's also this other huge aspect of my being.
"If I'm pushing that to the side to appease others, and there's not enough balance there, then I'm gonna find myself real crook, because I'm not being in my culture.
"So even though there's more fam coming through, I think when we need to be wary that there are certain aspects of what the wider community is willing to buy into where our culture and songs are concerned."
Blak Empire
He says he has seen first hand the mental and spiritual struggle Indigenous artists suffer, sometimes in the pursuit of greater success.
"I'm seeing young people who got all the right sound bites, all the right things to say when the cameras are on, but as soon as the cameras are off, they're pushing harm on to community, and... not actually be about community."
Otherwise have testified as to just how much Jimblah uses these words, especially "community". It's why his drive now is to foster young musicians and act as a mentor.
By creating a safe space for them to exist and practice their art, Jimblah hopes to create a new kind of industry, one that cares.
It's called "Blak Empire".
"We're here defying empire," he told NITV News.
"There's still this encroaching empire where the colony is concerned. And so, Black Empire is about what does our empire look like? It's not necessarily about building our own empire, because we already got one, it's already there.
"So much of the wider community in the colony and the western space... is more receptive of our yarn and our song, but they're also being receptive [only to] certain parts.
"Whereas I see the entirety of our Blak Empire in all its glory and its grace."
He has a message for an industry and the audiences of the wider community who may limit what they see as marketable or appealing when it comes to consuming the art of Blak musicians.
"Don't leave our precious context, even if it is confronting and it's unsettling. That's actually the problem. There's too much comfort here... Let's get uncomfortable.
"That's what Black Empire means to me: let's show it in its entirety, because it's so beautiful, even though there's some aspects that are dark to look at."
For Jimblah, who carries the responsibility of the community and a generation of young musicians on his shoulders, it comes easily to support those around him.
"I never going to be in a session with a Indigenous producer or Indigenous engineer or work with an Indigenous director on a film clip...
"This speaks to our way, that kinship and community, and saying 'We're here together'.
"This is the crazy thing about the industry: it can be so isolating. One of the things that hurt me the most was seeing how we're all Black musicians come to this space out of the love of music, but so little of the time, they're able to naturally share in that love together.
"I'm saying that's the most precious thing we've got here, is each other."
'Curious Austraila' is a special 6-episode series. 'Black Empire' premieres Thursday at 9pm on NITV and SBS VICELAND.
